Man cuffed for alleged ‘hate crime’ against gay couple on SkyTrain

Vancouver transit police say a suspect in custody as an investigation continues into an alleged hate crime against two SkyTrain passengers.

Sgt. Clint Hampton announced the arrest late Wednesday, just hours after an appeal was issued for information that could help identify a man pictured leaving a SkyTrain on Sept. 28 at the conclusion of a violent attack.

Transit police say the man is wanted for questioning after two men were attacked as they boarded a train in downtown Vancouver.

As the train moved between stations, one of the victims was kicked, the other was hit in the face and homophobic insults and obscenities were directed at both.

The suspect left the train at the next stop but the transit police news release says he spat in one victim’s face and tried to kick the other in the stomach as he departed.

Hampton says no further information will be released now that an arrest has been made but police want to speak to any other witnesses, including the unidentified SkyTrain passenger who pulled the suspect away from one of the victims while the assault was underway.